Authority Zero

Though Rhythm + Booze may seem like a stopgap release, it could actually signal a new beginning for Authority Zero. For one, it’s technically the band’s minor label debut after a split from now-defunct Atlantic imprint Lava, and finds the band releasing on their own Suburban Noize Records label. More importantly, Rhythm + Booze, a collection of old Authority Zero material reworked live with acoustic guitars and pushing a reggae-inflected ska style, is an obvious departure a band previously known for post-hardcore and trad-pop punk. It works well enough: most of their songs fit comfortably into the stylistic tinkering and, as gimmicky as the idea sounds, Rhythm + Booze would be believable as a record of new material. Thing is, Authority Zero’s new angle isn’t much more original than their old one, and fans of the band’s straightforward electric punk-ish past might be alienated enough to ignore this album.